Combination outer garment



April 1948- 6. DE OLIENSIS 2,439,128

COMB INAT ION OUTERGARMENT Filed Oct. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. Gf-IU'RUPE- l7E-OLu5-N51s Harvey April 1948- G. DE OLIENSIS 72,439,128

' COMBINATIONOUTERGARMEN'I' Filed Oct. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m wwm/eG E-RTRWE I71:- OLIENS l5 am m A for/9 ey Patented Apr. 6, 1948 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2,439,128 COMBINATION OUTER GARMENT Gertrude deOliensis, St. Louis, Mo. Application October 15, 1945, Serial No.622,239

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to an outer garment, and moreparticularly to such a garment that is designed especially for women,said garment having for its principal objects the production of 'asingle garment that will adequately perform the usual functions ofseveral garments, but will have the important advantage that the entiregarment may be opened or spread out flat to permit the same to be morereadily and elliciently washed and ironed.

Another object of this invention is to so design and combine the variousportions of the garment that the same may be donned and removed mostspeedily, and may 'be fastened on the wearer with a minimum of time andeffort.

A further object of my invention is to so construct a garment of thekind described that it may be manufactured with the least labor andskill due to the few seams, and lack of other intricate details requiredin the sewing together of the garment.

A still further object of my invention is to so form the garmentdescribed, that the same may be draped in oppositely extendingdirections about the body of the wearer, beneath her arms, to form thesleeves, and wherein the front and back of said garment are securelyanchored in place about the waist, without much likelihood of the sideportions opening unduly and otherwise appearing objectionable whileworn.

Added objects of this invention are to produce such a garment that maybe worn without a slip or underskirt, if so desired, and yet embody thefunctions of the latter, that will permit a maximum of body freedomwhile worn, and which need be made in but comparatively few sizes,because each size of garment very readily permits of minor sizevariations and adjustments without alteration of the garment.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed, and the uses mentioned, will be obvious to those skilled inthe art to which this invention relates, as will be more clearlyapparent from the disclosures herein given.

To this end, my invention consists in the novel construction,arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and aswill be more clearly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure l is a plan view of the garment, spread out fiat, ready forironing;

2 Figure 2 is a view of the garment, not quite completely donned, withthe rear skirt member already fastened but with the front skirt memberready to be wrapped aboutsaid fastened member;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but as seen from thefront of the wearer;

Figure 4 is another view similar to those shown in Figs. 2 and 3, buttaken from the side of the wearer, and with one corner at the bottom ofthe rear skirt member turned back slightly;

Figure 5 isa view taken from the rearof the wearers, showing the garmentcompletely donned; Figure 6 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 3,but taken from the side of the wearer;

Figure 7 is a plan view similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but with amodification of the garment; Figure 8 is a plan view of anothermodification; and

Figures 9-11 are views of said garment shown in Fig. 8, in variousstages of dress on the wearer. Referring more particularly to thedrawings, wherein I have illustrated one preferred embodimerit of theinventioma portion of a womans figure is shown, upon which there isdraped, an outer garment herein shown as a dress, having the .uppermember as the blouse or bodice A, and with a pair of lower or skirtmembers B-B' depending therebelow. For clarity, said members are shownin substantially their simplest form, although it is to be understood atthe outset, that various changes and additions may be made therein, allwithin the scope of this invention, as would readily suggest themselvesto those skilled in the art to which this invention is directed, or asthe wearers of such garment desire.

The most important feature of the garment herein shown and described isthat it is made in but a single thickness throughout when opened out orflattened, so that it may be washed or ironed with a'maximum of ease,speed and efficiency, and with a minimum of time and effort. To thatpurpose, I have so constructed and designed the garment that it may bespread out.

substantially flat, with all of its parts lying in substantially asingle plane, and as shown most clearly. in Figs. 1 and '7. Thesefigures also illustrate the shapes of the various parts of the garmentas they are cut from the fabric.

In the garment shown in Figs. 1-6 inclusive, the blouse member A is madeof any suitable cloth or fabric, made substantially circular in formsomewhat as shown, so that it is reduced in width or transversely toeither side of the shoulderforming portion of the blouse, as will beexplained hereinafter.

At substantially opposed diametral points or intervals, two pairs oftabs or belt sections, indicated at ll and 2Z, extend at an angle tosaid central portion. These tabs may be formed by slitting the clothinwardly at the selected intervals, from the periphery of the piece A,these slits extending in opposed directions so as to form the tabs ofeach pair, and terminating said slits so that the distance between theinnermost ends of each pair of slits is approximately equal to one-halfof the waist-band measurement of the intended wearer. Of course, theseslit edges may be properly taped or otherwise bound to prevent theirtearing under strain. For the sake of convenience in terminology, it maybe said that these tabs or belt sections extend laterally ortransversely of the garment shown.

The sheet A has an opening or slit 3 made therethrough, so that the headof the wearer may be inserted therethrough to don the garment, and afterwhich the latter will rest on and be supported from the shoulders asshown.

Said head-opening 3 may be made decorative by shaping the same asdesired and as illustrated, as for example the diamond-shaped openingshown in Figs. 1 and 3. Here again, it is to be stressed that althoughno bindings or the like are illustrated, they may be used whereverdeemed necessary or desirable.

Whenthe garment is worn, the sheet A will drape itself into a frontsection 4 and a rear section 5 extending to approximately the waistbandof the wearer, and the tabs then extend laterally from the pairs oflower ends of said front and back sections of the blouse member A. Theends of said tabs are provided with cooperating fastening elements 6thereat, so that when said cooperating ends of the front tabs aredetachably interconnected by said fasteners, and the corresponding endsof the rear tabs are similarly fastened together, the side edges of theblouse will be in completely overlapped relationship below the arm pits,as shown most clearly in Figs. 5 and 6, and in which draped arrangementthe upper portion of the wearers arms are fully and completelyencircled-just as if side seams had actually been made in the blousebelow said arm openings. Thus, it is seen that said sleeves thus formedare not a mere temporary enclosure, but will remain in said closureposition as long as the waist-band of the blouse is left securelyanchored in place by the two sets of fastenings 1-4 and 2-2.

The skirt members may be made in one piece and integral with the blousemember if desired, or the former can be made of separate pieces and evenof different materials, and in like manner, the two skirt members may bemade of like or different fabrics or colors.

The skirt members BB' may be stitched or otherwise permanently fixed attheir upper or waist-band edges, to the blouse member A, said skirtmembers preferably extending to the terminal tips of the tabs or beltsections so that the waist-band length of each skirt section isapproximately equal to the full waist band or girth of the wearer, andeach member BB will form a full and completely-encircling skirt and,when so worn, oneof saidskirt-members overlaps the other and a skirt ofdouble thickness throughout results.

When the garment is opened as shown in Figs. land '7, the adjacent endsof the skirt members 4 will be spaced apart, and the side edges 1-! maybe provided with detachably interengageable fastening elements 8 alongthe upper portions of said side edges, so that when the cooperatingfasteners of the side edges of such skirts are interlocked, each skirtwill fully encircle the waist-band of the wearer. Also, when both of theskirt members are fastened, with one of said skirts overlapped about theother, there will be provided a dress with two complete skirts, so thatif so desired, the usual slip or underskirtma'y be dispensed with. 7

Although the darts 9 may be omitted, it is sometimes advisable to makethem at intervals along the length of the waist-band of the skirtsections,-as they tend to improve the fit and appearance of the garmentthereat. The skirt members may be out exactly alike or, as shown,

oneof they may differ in appearance from the other, and either of theymay be worn exteriorly of the other. For example, they may differ inthat one skirt member B may be cut to form a yoke effect ill at thelower part of the bodice. Similarly, the member A may be cut on the biasas indicated in Fig. 1, to make it conform more closely to the lines ofthe figure on which it is worn.

In Fig. '7, the bodice is made of several separate pieces of material,the front and back elements Il-l2 respectively, being secured to oneanother to form the shoulder seam l3, and with a pair of sleeve-forminginserts l'3l4 to and between each side of the elements i l--l 2,somewhat as shown. It will be noted that said elements I i-l 2 cooperatewith said sleeve elements so that the tabs l5l5 are formed to actsimilarly to the tabs previously described, and that there is a headopening It similar to the opening 3.

Further, the garment shown in Fig. 7, although shown with one or moregathers or fullness I! in the peripheral edges of the inserts I l-14,may be laid out flat in substantially a single thickness throughout, andhas the other functions andadvantages inherent-in the modification firstdescribed.

In the modification of the garment as shown in Figs. 8-11 inclusive, thegarment is more in the nature of a sports garment, but it will be notedthat the important features of the previously described clothing areretained.

The blouse or bodice portion A has the tabs or belt sections l8l8 andl9l9' in pairs, corresponding to the tabs 1-4 and 2-2 of themodifications initially described, and the neck opening 20, of the shapeor outline preferred, is formed within the boundary of said blousemember.

The pair of lower body-encircling members BB' are secured todiametrically-opposed peripheral portions of the member A, and for thissport type of garment it is preferred that these members be not alike,but will cooperate with one another to present the desired effect indress. To the front portion of the blouse member, the member 13 issecured, the latter being somewhat shorter in the direction about thewaist-line, than the cooperating member B secured to the blouse rear.Said member B is also preferably formed with an opening or slit 2iupwardly or inwardly from the bottom edge of said member to provide apair of leg-encircling or pants portions thereat.

The other member B is longer in its waistencircling direction than themember B, as hereinbefore mentioned, and is preferably of considerablefullness so as to better conceal the crotch portion when the garment isWorn.- A crotch element is secured to substantially the center of thebottom edge of the member B, projecting downwardly therefrom, and may bein the rectangularshaped element 22 shown.

Said element 22 is preferably inserted so that one edge is within andsecured to the pair of side edges of a slit 23 provided in the bottomedge of the member B to hang downwardly thereat so that the mid-lengthof said secured edge will be at the innermost end of said slit, asshown, Interengaging fastening elements 24 may be provided onsaidelement 22 and said sides of the slit 2|, so that said element 22 may bebrought upwardly from the rear of the crotch after the garment has beendonned on the shoulders, andthen fastened to the cooperating fasteningsin the front of the crotch at said slit 2|. In order to present a, moreattractive appearance, one side edge of said garment may be extendedslightly beyond the centre line of the body, as shown more clearly inFigs. 8 and 9, said lateral extension 25 of the skirt member Bpreferably terminating flush with the corresponding end of the tabelement thereat.

In donning the garment illustrated in Figs.

l1, the same is placed on the shoulders, with the head of the wearerprojecting upwardly through the blouse opening, so that the front of thegarment may be fastened at the wearers back, as shown in Fig. 10. Therear of the garment thus overlies the rear of the body, and when thetabs are interconnected at the front of the wearer, the crotch element22 detachably fastened at the slit 2 I, there will be formed the pair ofleg-encircling portions required for this type of garment.

This garment is therefore a combination undergarment, blouse and skirt,completely fulfilling the requirements of each of said articles ofapparel, and yet one is able to open the ensemble garment tosubstantially perfectly flat form for easy washing and ironing.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A garment of the kind described adapted to be spread substantiallyflat in a single plane, and formed of a sheet of material comprising acentral section with a head-opening therethrough, and oppositelydisposed skirt-forming sections attached to diametrically opposite sidesof said central section and having divergent side edges, said centralsection adjacent said divergent side edges of each skirt-forming sectionslotted to provide a pair of openings extending inwardly toward eachother into the body portion from said side edges, the combined assembledintermediate portions of the garment between the pairs of openingsproviding substantially the Waist-line portion of the garment, and theportions below the slotted portions providing overlapping skirt-formingsections when worn, and means for securing the side edges of eachskirtforming section together so as to provide a pair of encompassingskirt members each meeting along substantially the full length of saidside edges, whereby a double thickness skirt is provided forsubstantially the full distance below the waist of the wearer.

2. In a garment of the kind described adapted to be spread substantiallyflat in a single plane, a sheet of material comprising a central sectionwith a head opening therethrough, oppositely disposed skirt-formingsections attached to diametrically opposed sides of said central sectionand having divergent side edges, said garment adjacent said divergentside edges of each skirtforming section slotted to provide a pair ofslotted openings directed into the body portion of said central sectionfrom said side edges, these combined assembled portions of the garmentbetween said pairs of openings providing substantially the waist-lineportion of the garment, and the portions below said slotted portionsproviding overlapping skirt-forming sections when worn, means forsecuring the side edges of each skirtforming section together so as toprovide a pair of encompassing skirt members each meeting alongsubstantially the full length of said side edges, whereby a doublethickness skirt is provided for substantially the full distance belowthe waist of the wearer, and a pair of oppositely extending belt-formingtabs provided on each of said skirt-forming sections along one of saidpairs of openings, whereby when the garment is worn said pairs of tabsmay be wrapped in reverse directions about the waist of the wearer.

3. In a garment of the kind described adapted to be spread substantiallyflat, a sheet of material comprising a central substantially circularsection with a head-opening therethrough, oppositely disposedskirt-forming sections attached to diametrically opposite sides of saidcentral section and provided with longitudinally extending side edges,said garment adjacent said side edges of each skirt-forming sectionhaving a pair of slotted openings extending inwardly into the bodyportion of said central section, these combined assembled portions ofthe garment between said pair of openings providing substantially thewaist-line portion of the garment when worn, providing overlappingskirt-forming sections,

the unattached peripheral portions of said central section on oppositesides of the head-opening providing the shoulder-forming portions of theblouse of the garment, the edge portions of said central section onopposite sides of such. shoulder-forming portions upon being overlappedproviding fully-encircling arm portions, and means for securing the sideedges of each skirt-forming section together so as to provide a pair ofencompassing skirt members each meeting along substantially the fulllength of said side edges, whereby a double thickness skirt is providedfor substantially the full distance below the waist of the wearer.

GERTRUDE DE OLIENSIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 108,640 Fisher Mar. 1, 19381,261,360 Carson Apr. 2, 1918 1,322,930 Moore Nov, 25, 1919 1,351,537Reynard Aug. 31, 1920 1,364,232 Baxter Jan. 4, 1921 1,475,892 Sohn Nov.27, 1923 2,157,460 Robertson et a1 May 9, 1939 2,244,583 Turner et a1June 3, 1941

